The Chicago Bulls kicked their offseason off with a surprise trade sending Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey.
That deal could have a significant impact on the Bulls’ other plans.
“Chicago’s been trying to move Zach LaVine forever. They can’t find any takers. I don’t even think if they attached a first-round pick teams would take him,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks said on “SiriusXM NBA Radio” on June 29. “So that impacts DeMar DeRozan. Because you can’t sign DeRozan and keep LaVine and now you go into the luxury tax here.”
NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson said on the June 28 episode of the “Gimme The Hot Sauce” podcast that he expected DeRozan to leave the Bulls in free agency this offseason, pointing to executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas‘ comments after the draft.
LaVine averaged 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in 25 appearances last season.
The points and appearances were his fewest since 2016-17 and 2017-18, respectively. The latter was his first with the Bulls and came while he recovered from a torn ACL. This past season was cut short by a foot injury. He has resumed on-court workouts.
That could pave the way for a quicker turnaround of his trade value. He is one year removed from averaging 24.8 points on 60.7% true shooting.
LaVine is also a two-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist.
Bulls Urged to Keep Zach LaVine
Forbes’ Morten Jensen argued that there was a “simple solution” for the Bulls.
“Keep him,” Jensen posted on X on June 29. “If you’re the Bulls, and you’re finally starting a rebuild, you cannot justify forking over two firsts just to get off a contract.”
The idea of the Bulls holding onto LaVine despite their efforts has merit.
“His shooting ability and scoring efficiency absolutely fit next to Giddey and other young talents like Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams,” Johnson wrote on June 25. “To be sure, the relationship between the Bulls and LaVine, 29, would need rehabilitation. For months, the relationship has felt like it has run its course, headed for a divorce.
“But for an organization that has held onto assets until they depreciate, keeping LaVine and letting him either rehabilitate his value, play well alongside Giddey and White or both isn’t out of the question.”
LaVine has been candid about the trade rumors surrounding him.
LaVine is entering Year 3 of a five-year, $215.1 million contract. He will count $43 million against the cap in 2024-25. LaVine also has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
He is owed $138 million over the next three seasons.
LaVine’s injury history and contract suppressed his trade value, with rumored talks dating back to the 2023 trade deadline. The Bulls also risk the 29-year-old LaVine injuring himself again by holding onto him.
“Is it optimal? No,” Jensen continued. “It [sic] it better than undermining a process before it’s started? Absolutely.”
Johnson reported on May 31 that the Bulls could lower their previously high asking price.
Alex Caruso Trade Could Alter Bulls’ Thinking Amid Zach LaVine Trade Search
The Bulls’ decision to potentially take less for LaVine than they initially anticipated could be due to a combination of factors,
“The Bulls are known to be looking to move Nikola Vucevic, along with the never-ending Zach LaVine saga,” Action Network’s Matt Moore wrote on June 27. “The Caruso trade both helps and hurts those efforts because Caruso’s contract was a quality lubricant for teams willing to take on those contracts, which now isn’t available.
“But the Bulls also don’t have to constantly try and pull more assets from interested teams in exchange for adding Caruso. He’s off the board.”
The Stein Line’s Marc Stein expressed similar sentiments about the Bulls’ plight.
“Trading Zach LaVine is known to be Chicago’s foremost priority now. The troubles Chicago face here, however, have not changed since November: Creating a market for LaVine has been (to put it mildly) challenging,” Stein wrote on June 22.
“League sources say Philadelphia continues to have little interest in LaVine and I have likewise been advised to dismiss Utah‘s reported interest. The Bulls, remember, had trouble generating a market for LaVine when they could have attached Caruso to trade constructions. That option, obviously, no longer exists.”
Whether it is due to a lack of suitors or a chance to improve their potential return in a trade, the Bulls and LaVine could be tacking toward at least starting another season together.
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